Echidnas use booger bubbles to stay cool in hot weather Down Under.
To stay cool in searing temperatures, the prickly echidna, an egg-laying mammal that lives Down Under, employs a somewhat unusual trick: It blows snot bubbles to keep its nose wet, a new study finds.
The second option is evaporation. Most mammals accomplish this by sweating, and those that can't, like the kangaroo, lick their arms or legs in an effort to evaporate excess body heat. But echidnas neither sweat nor lick themselves. Option three is to pant to stay cool , but echidnas don't do that, either.
The idea had some promise. The echidna's beak contains a large"blood sinus," or a reservoir of blood that pools near the surface. A burst bubble that leaves a coating of mucus could, theoretically, absorb heat from blood and evaporate, thereby keeping the echidna cool. It was an intriguing idea that Cooper decided to test in the field.
Ireland Latest News, Ireland Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
The AWD Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray Has a Cheat Code for BurnoutsNo, its not Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A, Start.
Read more »
Tweetbot is back down againTweetbot is back, but some users are still having issues with it.
Read more »
Annabeth Gish Breaks Down The Tragedy Of Deirdre In Mayfair WitchesWe spoke to MayfairWitches star annabethgish about the themes that drew her to Anne Rice's depiction of witchery, and the tragic twists and turns that Deirdre Mayfair endured in episode 2, 'The Dark Place':
Read more »
Nadal grinds down injured Draper to reach second roundDefending champion Rafa Nadal dropped a set but prevailed in a battle of fitness against Jack Draper to reach the second round of the Australian Open on Monday with an unconvincing 7-5 2-6 6-4 6-1 over the injured Briton.
Read more »
USD/JPY can trade down to 126.50 before BoJ’s meeting – INGThe Japanese Yen remains very much in demand ahead of Wednesday's BoJ decision. In the view of economists at ING, the USD/JPY pair could slump to 126.
Read more »